St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-03-19


Tho woman was awakened by hearing
strange noises, and catching sight of
the elephant, she reused her husband
and ran to alarm her two children, who
were sleeping in a neighboring field.
I She then, with the children, ran off to
the village. Her husband, who did not
at first believe her, took his time in
coming down, was caught by the ele-
plant and killed. His body was found
in fearfully mangled condition. The
elephant had then passed round to
the south of the village, and
had given chase to decrepit old Gond
whom he spied among the grass. Ac-
cording to the account given by the old
man, the elephant came up with him.
and planted his tusks in the ground on
| either side of his PROSTATE body.
Thinking my last moment had come, :"
he said, II placed my hands on the
elephants tusks and called on the god
Ganesh to save me; and the elephant
Immediately turned round and went
awayr' The animal would then seem
to have passed southwards to Branderi.
On the way, he destroyed several huts,
lifting the thatch and knocking down
part of the gable ends, and feeling in
side with his trunk for the large grain
jars which he expected to find there.
The inhabitants, it is needless to say,
fled on his approach.
After listening to these several sc-
counts, the Deputy Commissioner and
the superintendent of police deternin-
ed to take action. The elephant had
been last seen still going southwards,
and might be lying concealed
in the jungles hard by. No posi-
tive evidence of his whereabouts could,
however, be obtained. In this emery
ency, a party of Bygas, or wild hill
men, was despatched southwards to
take up the track; party of Gonds
were sent eastwards to inquire if he
had shown himself Whereabouts; con-
stable was sent northeast to Bhimlat to
put some well-known shikaries there on
the gu viUe; and a party of men was
the neighboring villages to be on the
lookout. The west was closed in by
the Tipaghar and Khandapur Hills,
over which there was little fear of the
elephant passing. Before the day was
far advanced, news was brought from
the Bygas going south that the ele-
plant had passed village nine miles
from Jatta; while next there was an
other report that he had been seen at a
village fourteen miles further on. A
march after the animal was immed-
ately ordered, and the further they went,
the thicker and faster came the reports
Of his depredations. He had destroyed q
number of houses and attacked several
people. At the village of Jagla, after
various attempts to discover grain, he
had walked up to an open space in the
bright moonlight, where he stood some
little time, observed by all the inhabi-
tants, who had huddled up together in
a dark corner, from where they watch
ed him. To use their own words, they
''uttered not sound during this time
of suspense, and ''ceasing to breathe,
their bodies dried upn' The fierce
beast had then gone on to another viii
lage, and seeing three Gonds who had
been asleep in the village square, gave
chase to them. Here, however, the
people had turned out with drums, and
had made such a tlamor that the ele-
plant was frightened, and turned off
into the jungle. The elephant was next
seen at a place called Karapuri
by some Gonds, who had with them a
large jar of grain. Instantly setting
this down, they had scudded into the
long grass, where they succeeded in
concealing themselves. The elephant
came up to the jar, broke it, ate most
of it's contents, and scattered the re-
mainder about.
On the morning of the 9Th of Novem-
Der the deputy commissioners party
had struck their tents, and accomplish
ed a march of twenty-three miles to the
Hatta Pergannah, eighteen miles of
their journey being made through thick
jungle and over rough, stony hills.
Here they were told that the elephant
had been seen at the village of Goderi,
where he had pursued and succeeded
in catching a girl about six years old,
whom he literally broke to pieces. She
was found next morning mass of
pulp.
On leaving Goderi, the elephant went
on to the Dro river. Here party of
eight travellers and five boatmen were
as eep on the sands, when they were
aroused by cries of "Bagh!'' (TigerD
from a boy who was with them. The
moon was just rising at the time; but as
they happened to be on the western
cInno Of Como /; orb hills tho rala on uhoro